Custom packaging means on-demand packaging, it is the process of designing and creating unique packaging solution that meets the specific needs of the products.
The work of producing custom packagings, such as gift boxes, and gift bags typically collaborating with customers to understand their requirements and preferences, including size, material, and printing.
Printing is a very important technique during the custom packaging process. Pantone and CMYK are widely used in custom packaging.
Pantone and CMYK, which one is more popular in custom packaging?
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What is the Pantone Color?
Pantone color, also known as spot colors, is a color standard created by the Pantone company. It is often used for printing specific colors to ensure consistent color accuracy across different printing processes and materials.
In the actual printing process, Pantone’s printing colors are mixed by printing engineers according to the color swatch.
What is the CMYK ?
CMYK colors are used to create full-color images, it is created in four colors: C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K (black). In CMYK printing, colors are created by layering dots of these four colors on top of each other. Therefore it has excellent color-changing capabilities, from solid color to gradient color printing.
The Different betweeen the Pantone Color and CMYK color ?
Pantone color and CMYK color are different color models in printing. They have many differences in printing content, printing stability, printing cost, and printing method adaptability.
1,Differences in Printed Content
Pantone colors are often used for printing spefbranding and logo design, it is impossible to represent complicated images or colors.
CMYK printing is not only suitable for single-color printing but also suitable for complex picture printing. It has a wide range of colors that can be produced.
2,Difference in Printing Stability
Pantone printing uses a standardized set of swatches or color chips to match the printing color. It is easier to make the color consistent and control the color precisely. Furthermore, Pantone printing can achieve metallic spot color effects, which cannot be achieved by four-color printing.
This is why some brands of packaging gift boxes or paper bags, to maintain the color stability of the brand, generally use Pantone printing.
Four-color printing is created by superimposing colors, so the color difference is caused by the difference in the ratio of the four colors of CMYK.
3,Difference in Cost
The printing cost depends on production efficiency and ink consumption. Generally speaking, the production efficiency of four-color printing is higher than that of Pantone printing.
Assuming full coverage printing, spot-color 100% printing uses much more ink than four-color printing.
Therefore, regardless of production efficiency or ink consumption, the cost of four-color printing is cheaper.
4,Difference in Printing Method Adaptability
In custom packaging, the mainstream printing methods include offset printing, flexography printing, screen printing, and digital printing .
CMYK colors are used in all printing methods, while Pantone colors are suitable for offset printing, flexography printing,screen printing.
Which one is more popular in custom packaging ?
The choice of Pantone colors and CMYK colors depends on many different factors, this includes industry preference, print design and substrate material, packaging purpose and customer requirements.
- Industry preference: Customized packaging is for product packaging in various industries, and there are specific industry printing preferences among different industries. For example, beer liquor packaging, prefer bright and full-toned packaging printing, so CMYK color printing is a perfect choice.
- Design preference: If the design includes intricate details or gradients, CMYK colors may be a better option as they can create a wider range of colors and shades. Pantone colors, on the other hand, are more suitable for solid colors and simpler designs.
- Substrate material preference: Custom packaging can be designed and manufactured using a variety of materials, including cardboard, plastic, metal, and wood, depending on the needs of the product. Different materials also have printing preferences. Take the plastic material packaging as an example, Pantone colors can ensure that different base ink colors can be mixed to match the required stable color.
- Packaging purpose preference: Custom packaging can be used for a variety of purposes, such as branding, marketing, and protection of the product. If the custom packaging is for promotional purposes, businesses focus on controlling the cost of printing and quickly attract consumers’ attention as well, then four-color printing is the preferred option.
- Customer preference:Customer preference: Custom packaging is a tailored packaging service, so customer preference is a priority consideration for the manufacturing vendor. Some clients prefer the CMYK color to the Pantone color.
Pantone and four-color printing, as the mainstream printing model in custom packaging, are widely used in various industries. It is a bit arbitrary to judge who is the most popular.
As a professional packaging supplier, it is our responsibility to provide professional advice and predict possible problems in the printing process.
